WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue football team will stage its annual Black & Gold Game on Saturday, April 17. The event is free and will be held in Ross-Ade Stadium.

The game starts at 1 p.m., with the stadium gates opening at noon. Free public parking is available in the lot north of the stadium (R Lot) and the lots north and west of the practice facility (H Lots). The A, F, K and P lots require a parking pass. A parking map is available here.

Complimentary rosters will be available to fans, as will 2010 posters and schedule cards.

Concession stands will be open.

Saturday's events begin with the Purdue Cancer Center Challenge at 8:30 a.m. The 5K run/walk begins and ends at Ross-Ade. For the second straight year, head coach Danny Hope is the event's spokesman and is asking Boilermaker fans to ""Boiler up and beat cancer!" by raising funds for cancer research at Purdue.

The John Purdue Club "Spring Football Game Café" will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the A parking lot south of Ross-Ade. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children aged 10 and under and features all-you-can eat Two Cookin' Sisters' award-winning chili and on-the-spot grilled hamburgers and bratwurst. Reservations are recommended by calling 800-213-2239 or 494-3248.

The hugely popular Family Fun Fest runs from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in Ross-Ade. Gate A, located at the southeast corner of the stadium, will open at 10:30 a.m. for registration. Family Fun Fest is open to all youth with adult supervision. Youngsters will be able to participate in the following six interactive stations run by the football team:

* Catching a pass from the quarterbacks
* Kicking a field goal with the kickers
* Accuracy throw with the wide receivers
* Dummy tackling with the defensive backs and linebackers
* Obstacle course with the offensive and defensive linemen
* Inflatable bouncy house with the specialists

The Big Ten NetworkDrew Brees bobble head will be stationed at Gate A, and fans can take pictures with the eight-foot tall figure.

Purdue students are invited to a Cornhole Tournament starting at 10:30 a.m. in the southeast corner of the R Lot. Preregister by e-mailing sportspromo@purdue.edu. There will be three divisions (fraternity, sorority and open), and the winners will receive 2010 football season tickets.

Many members of the 2001 Rose Bowl team (sorry, no Brees, as he had a previous commitment) will be on hand and recognized at the end of the third quarter. All other football alumni will be recognized at halftime.

The Purdue Pride Team Store will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition, a clearance sale tent will be set up outside the Team Store at the northeast corner of Ross-Ade, with select merchandise discounted 25 to 75 percent. A trailer will be open beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the south end zone, as well.

Following the game, all current players will sign autographs on the field, as will some of the former Boilermakers who are back. Details will be announced via the public-address system.

The Athletic Ticket Office will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. During these hours only, fans can purchase south end zone tickets for the 2010 home opener against Western Illinois on Sept. 11 for just $5 apiece.

April 17 will be an exciting day on campus, as the Purdue baseball, men's tennis, men's and women's track and field, and volleyball teams all have home events, and Spring Fest gets under way.